Officers with the Gaston County Police Department seized over half a million dollars after pulling over a tractor-trailer on I-85, the Gaston County Police Department said.
“It’s one of the largest seizures we’ve had in the history of the police department,” said Capt. Jeff Phelps.
Police stopped the truck for alleged traffic offenses at 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 3, near exit 14, according to Phelps.
It had been following other vehicles too closely, and when officers spoke with the driver, he seemed nervous, Phelps stated. Police were suspicious, and when a police dog sniffed the truck, it informed them that it smelled like drugs, according to Phelps.
Police investigated the truck and discovered pallets of cash worth more than $500,000, according to Phelps. The search took hours, and while no narcotics were discovered, Phelps noted that cash used in the drug trade can smell like drugs.
“When someone is hauling that much cash, it’s certainly tied to the drug trade,” Phelps said.
Police believe the truck driver was unaware of what he was delivering. He was not charged, and he cooperated with authorities but did not provide much information, according to Phelps.
The truck is believed to have been traveling to California.
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